Written Answers Monday 5 October 2009

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the levels of use of (a) erlotinib, (b) rituximab, (c) capecitabine, (d) lenalidomide and (e) cisplatin in each NHS board in each year since 2003-04.

Nicola Sturgeon: This type of assessment is not undertaken centrally.

  Chemotherapy regimes are prescribed and administered according to clinical need and benefit to the patient. The most appropriate treatment offered will be based on an individuals needs and would follow a detailed discussion between the patient and their clinician.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints by patients relating to the refusal by an NHS board to fund a (a) cancer and (b) non-cancer treatment have been made in each year since 2000-01.

Nicola Sturgeon: This specific information is not held centrally. Broader information on complaints is available by health board for all years from 1996-97 until 2008-09 at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4423.html.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the findings and recommendations made in the report by the Rarer Cancers Forum, Exceptional Scotland? , published on 16 March 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The majority of the recommendations contained in the report relate to addressing local processes to consider individual patient treatment (exceptional prescribing) processes. The Scottish Government is preparing guidance for NHS boards which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. A key requirement within the policy framework is the need for a fair, consistent and systematic process for requests for medicines to be prescribed on a case-by-case basis for individual patients.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that anti-nausea treatments used to support patients receiving chemotherapy are made routinely available.

Nicola Sturgeon: Anti-emetic (anti-nausea) treatments given to patients receiving chemotherapy are prescribed on an individual basis and according to the side effects a patient may be expected to experience as a result of that particular chemotherapy regime.

  All chemotherapy regimes are routinely assessed for the likelihood that they will cause nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy units have written protocols in place for chemotherapy prescriptions which include a corresponding recommended anti-emetic regime(s). These protocols are based on the best available medical evidence, international best practice guidelines and local experience. Accordingly, anti-emetics are prescribed and administered to patients at the same time as their chemotherapy.

  The side effects of chemotherapy, including the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, will be assessed at each cycle and the anti-emetic regime altered as required.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on cancer services in each NHS board in each of the last five years, also expressed per head of population.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not available centrally. Funding of services for individuals with cancer is primarily the responsibility of NHS boards to plan, in the light of the needs of their resident population, and will be funded from the unified budgets which are allocated to them by the Scottish Government.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on drugs for the treatment of cancer in each of the last five financial years.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the cost of specific drugs as defined by the British National Formulary (BNF), for the treatment of cancer for the last five financial years is given in the following table. This table only covers drugs prescribed in Scotland that were dispensed by community pharmacies or dispensing doctors anywhere in Scotland. It excludes the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals or clinics.

  Information on the total expenditure for drugs used in the treatment of cancer is not available centrally. This is because there are many different types of drugs used in cancer treatment, for example, analgesics for pain, steroids as an adjunct therapy or anti-emetics to help control nausea. There are no data available on the reason for prescribing an item and therefore is not possible to estimate the true cost of the drug treatments for cancer.

  

Financial Year
Gross Ingredient Cost (£)


2004-05
17,796,948


2005-06
18,090,263


2006-07
20,803,257


2007-08
22,772,772


2008-09
24,028,118



  Source: Prescribing Information System, ISD Scotland, IR2009-02310.

  Note: The data refers to items prescribed in Scotland that were dispensed by community pharmacies or dispensing doctors anywhere in Scotland. It excludes the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals or clinics.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the number of patients in each of the last five years who have (a) paid privately for top-up cancer treatments and (b) had the costs of privately paying for a treatment reimbursed by NHS boards following appeal.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of patients who pay privately for treatments is not held centrally.

  Information on patients who have had the costs of private treatments reimbursed by NHS boards following appeal is not held centrally.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of graffiti and vandalism have taken place in the Lothians region in each month since May 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: Information is available on the annual number of crimes of vandalism, malicious damage and malicious mischief recorded by the police. No information is held centrally on a monthly basis. The information for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is given in table 8 of each of the following statistical publications, published by the Scottish Government, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe):

  Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2007-08, published in September 2008 (Bib. number 46684)

  Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2008-09, published in September 2009 (Bib. number 49313).

Digital Technology

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the results of pilot work undertaken by BT in the Highlands on extending the distance from exchanges of good quality broadband capacity; whether the result of the work offers improved possibilities for expanding good quality broadband across Scotland, and what plans it has to assist this week.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government understands that BT’s trials for Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) in sites in Dingwall and Inverness were a technical success and that BET offers the opportunity for 2Mbps broadband services to be delivered to remote locations. Other than locations in BT’s already-announced pilot programme, BT has stated that work to explore further areas which could potentially benefit from BET is already underway, but this will take time and is subject to funding availability.

  The Scottish Government has already made significant progress in expansion of broadband coverage in Scotland. The Broadband Reach Project, the first phase of which completed in May 2009, has provided basic broadband services to around 2,100 broadband Not Spots, many in rural and remote locations.

  Scottish Government ministers and officials regularly liaise with BT on a wide range of telecommunications issues and we have already shared our knowledge of Scottish broadband Not Spot locations with BT in connection with BET.

Energy

Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many combined heat and power district heating systems there are, broken down by local authority area.

Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are served by combined heat and power district heating systems, broken down by local authority area.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not hold that information.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures and powers exist to regulate the use of jet skis in fresh and sea water.

Stewart Stevenson: It is the responsibility of local and harbour authorities to consider the need to regulate the use of jet skis in their areas by means of local byelaw powers.

  In addition, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is consulting on proposed amendments to Merchant Shipping Regulations which would bring jet skis within the scope of enforcement provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act relating to safety at sea.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what funded measures to encourage the use of public transport and high-occupancy vehicles will be included as part of the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) is a fast-tracked element of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) which sets out wider investment priorities over the next 20 years that will be delivered subject to the transport allocation within future spending reviews and affordability. As the need for maintaining cross Forth travel has been established as a priority, funding has been allocated to the FRC. Whilst this major development is underway, some other projects, particularly, rail improvements, will also be able to proceed.

  The FRC will include a dedicated public transport corridor on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB), improved park and ride facilities at Ferrytoll and dedicated public transport links from Ferrytoll across the FRB linking to the A90 west of the A8000. It will also include Intelligent Transport Systems from Halbeath to Newbridge to encourage the use of public transport and improve journey reliability.

  The FRC has targeted dedicated measures for high-occupancy vehicles and public transport, initially in the form of buses. Measures for higher occupancy private cars would require considerable additional roadspace which would, in turn, be likely to generate additional traffic.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures to improve the infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians will be included as part of the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Stewart Stevenson: Specific cyclist and pedestrian facilities will be provided throughout the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC). These will include dedicated footpaths and cyclist routes incorporating priority crossing facilities at Ferrytoll Junction and South Queensferry Junction. The footpaths in the vicinity of the A8000 overbridge will be extended to connect with adjacent paths and cyclists, new footpaths will be provided along Society Road in the vicinity of the FRC and pedestrians using the FRC will be able to enjoy the facility without the traffic alongside.

  At South Queensferry, pedestrian and cyclist crossing facilities will be included to the south west of South Queensferry along the A904 Builyeon Road and the U221 Road via dedicated footpath/cycleways through the new South Queensferry Junction. The roundabout will be traffic signal controlled with pedestrian and cyclist phases activated on an on-demand basis.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a dedicated cycle and pedestrian crossing will be included as part of the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Stewart Stevenson: As part of the managed crossing strategy, pedestrians and cyclists will continue to use the dedicated facilities on the Forth Road Bridge.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted a full assessment of the opportunity costs of the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Forth Replacement Crossing project has been evaluated against other projects in the Strategic Transport Projects Review in terms of economic impacts.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether assessments have been made of the impact of the Forth Replacement Crossing project on greenhouse gas emissions.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether assessments have been made of the impact of the Forth Replacement Crossing project on the wider economy.

Stewart Stevenson: Yes.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Forth Replacement Crossing project has been evaluated against other projects in the Strategic Transport Projects Review in terms of value for money.

Stewart Stevenson: The economic and social consequences of the Forth Road Bridge being closed or restricted before a replacement crossing is in place would be untenable. The Forth Replacement Crossing has, therefore, been established as a priority within the STPR and funding allocated, in order to protect this vital link in the country’s transport network.

  Whilst this major development is underway, some other projects, particularly rail improvements, will also be able to proceed.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Forth Replacement Crossing project has been evaluated against other projects in the Strategic Transport Projects Review in terms of environmental impacts.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) is a fast-tracked element of the STPR which sets out wider investment priorities over the next 20 years that will be delivered subject to the transport allocation within future spending reviews and affordability. As the need for maintaining cross Forth travel has been established as a priority, the FRC has been progressed ahead of the majority of the other projects and, as such, environmental impacts and any necessary mitigation measures have now been assessed in detail for the FRC.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the option of investing the cost of the Forth Replacement Crossing in other projects has been considered.

Stewart Stevenson: The Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) must be progressed in order to protect a vital link in the country’s transport network. Investing the resources to be allocated to the FRC in other projects is, therefore, not an option.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residents it is estimated will have grounds for seeking compensation from it as a consequence of the impacts of the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Stewart Stevenson: It is not possible to quantify the overall number of people who may be entitled to compensation at this stage of the project.

  Guidance on the parliamentary process, compulsory purchase process and compensation specific to the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) has been published on the project website and issued to land and home owners within the vicinity of the scheme. The FRC Land Team will continue to discuss individual cases with directly affected landowners.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates would need to be set aside in financial contingency if home loss payments were to be paid at the levels paid in England.

Stewart Stevenson: Any compensation due as part of the Forth Replacement Crossing project will be paid as per the procedures currently adopted by the Scottish ministers. An estimate for procedures adopted in England are, therefore, not relevant.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the use of exceptional case requests by NHS boards and how many exceptional funding requests for treatment were (a) approved and (b) declined by each NHS board in each year since 2002-03.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not conducted an assessment of the use of exceptional case requests by NHS boards.

  In response to the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee inquiry recommendations into the availability on the NHS of cancer treatment drugs, the Scottish Government is preparing guidance for NHS boards which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. A key requirement within the policy framework is the need for a fair, consistent and systematic process for requests for medicines to be prescribed on a case-by-case basis for individual patients.

  Information on the number of exceptional funding requests approved and declined by each NHS board in each year since 2002-03 is not held centrally.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients funded by the NHS in each of the last five years were treated in (a) England and (b) outside the United Kingdom, broken down by procedure.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of NHS funded patients treated in England and outside the United Kingdom is not available centrally in Scotland.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of spare capacity there were in NHS facilities in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The requested information is not available.

  Information on the numbers of staffed available beds and bed occupancy in NHS Hospitals in Scotland is published on the NHS National Services Scotland Information Services Division website at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3426.html.

  It should be noted that the range of facilities provided by hospitals (including inpatient beds) makes up only a small proportion of the total services provided by the NHS in Scotland.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours were lost to the NHS as a result of patients failing to attend appointments in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Higher Education

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Tripartite Advisory Group on universities will look at university funding comparisons across the United Kingdom and when those comparisons will be made.

Fiona Hyslop: The Tripartite Advisory Group (TAG) has started work to develop a shared evidence base to support the TAG’s consideration of the level of public investment in Scottish universities required to maintain broad overall comparability with the rest of the UK and to remain internationally competitive. Progress will be reviewed when TAG next meets on 14 October 2009.

Housing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been set aside in financial contingency for home loss payments.

Stewart Stevenson: With regard to the Forth Replacement Crossing project costs, a provisional sum has been included in estimates for the net cost of land acquisition and compensation. At this stage, this has not been collated on the basis of a detailed assessment of individual elements of acquisition costs, compensation or Home Loss Payments.

Medication

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the recommendations made by Professor Mike Richards in his report for the Department of Health, Improving access to medicines for NHS patients , published on 4 November 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: The report Improving access to new medicines for NHS patients  by Professor Mike Richards was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health. The report’s recommendations were directed to the Department of Health in England.

  In responding to Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee inquiry recommendations on availability on the NHS of cancer treatment drugs, the Scottish Government published revised guidance on Arrangements for NHS Patients Receiving Healthcare Services Through Private Healthcare Arrangements on 25 March 2009. This revised guidance reflected analysis undertaken via a consultation in Scotland and took account of the Department of Health guidance on this issue.

Medication

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 25 March 2009, when it expects to issue (a) guidance to NHS boards to support decision-making processes on the introduction of new medicines and (b) the information for patients on the new arrangements commissioned from Health Rights Information Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is preparing guidance which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. Work is progressing on the draft guidance, which will be tested with NHS boards and stakeholders. Revised guidance will be published in due course.

  Work is progressing on the information leaflet for patients as commissioned by the Scottish Government from Health Rights Information Scotland. The draft leaflet will be tested with patients/public and health care professionals and will then be published.

Medication

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to conduct an evaluation of the effect of the Scottish Medicines Consortium’s modifiers on access to medicines for NHS patients.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium, which assesses new medicines and treatments for use in the NHS in Scotland operates independently from the Scottish Government and Scottish ministers.

  The Scottish Medicines Consortium has its own evaluation programme to develop further the assessment, implementation and monitoring of new medicines in NHSScotland.

  The Scottish Medicines Consortium has indicated that it will review the modifiers in April 2010 in terms of looking at how they have been used to support the decision making process and whether they need to be amended or expanded in any way.

NHS Equipment

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to local community care partnerships with regard to the provision of equipment and adaptations for people with progressive illnesses such as motor neurone disease.

Nicola Sturgeon: Current guidance on the provision of equipment and adaptations is contained in NHS circular 1976 (GEN) 90. This guidance splits the provision of equipment into two separate lists – "aids and equipment required on medical or nursing grounds" and "aids to daily living".

  The guidance states that, in broad terms, where the equipment is directly related to the management of an illness, or for the rehabilitation of a patient from hospital then the responsibility lies with the health board. Where equipment is required to help the individual achieve greater independence within the home then the responsibility lies with the local authority social work services.

  The Scottish Government is aware that this guidance is now out of date and does not support joint working between social work, housing and the NHS. To address this, the Scottish Government issued revised draft guidance for public consultation on 2 December 2008. The consultation has now closed and officials are working on producing new guidance for publication in November.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/03120911/0.

  The new guidance no longer distinguishes between health and local authority responsibility, it encourages a partnership approach to the provision of equipment and adaptations. It will enable professionals, users and carers to better understand local health and social care partnerships responsibilities, and create a more consistent approach to the provision of equipment and adaptations across Scotland.

  The consultation process also highlighted that the local arrangements for funding of major adaptations within the different housing tenures requires further clarity. Work has commenced within the Scottish Government to produce further guidance on this complex issue.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 Strategic Environmental Assessment, the proposed new coal-fired power station at Hunterston was assessed and scored as if it would be an unabated plant and, if not, what level of abatement was considered.

Stewart Stevenson: It would be inappropriate to comment on an issue which relates to matters before the Court of Session.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the assessment matrix used to score potential national developments was published after the proposed National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 (NPF2) had been laid before the Parliament and after the close of the call for evidence to the Local Government and Communities Committee for its consideration of the NPF2.

Stewart Stevenson: As we informed the Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee on 25 June 2009, the need to take account of the conclusions of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) on transport projects precluded earlier publication of the assessment matrix.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the reasoning behind its decision to include a new power station and transhipment hub at Hunterston as a final national development in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 despite that development having obtained an overall score in the assessment matrix lower than the majority of proposals assessed but not taken forward as national developments.

Stewart Stevenson: It would be inappropriate to comment on an issue which relates to matters before the Court of Session.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the proposed new power station and transhipment hub at Hunterston in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 scored 0/+ (neutral/positive) for significant contribution to climate change, renewable energy and waste management targets in the assessment matrix, with no associated explanation, whereas in the strategic environmental assessment the development scored -/? (negative/unclear) against the reducing energy consumption/CO 2 emissions criterion.

Stewart Stevenson: It would be inappropriate to comment on an issue which relates to matters before the Court of Session.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with the developers or their agents regarding the proposed new coal power station at Hunterston before including the proposal as part of a national development in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2.

Stewart Stevenson: Proposals for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston were discussed at meetings attended by Scottish Government officials and representatives and agents of Clydeport Plc on 14 February and 16 October 2008. Records of these meetings are available online at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/212607/0083074.pdf

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/212607/0084529.pdf

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there was adequate consultation with local communities before the proposed new coal power station at Hunterston was included as part of a national development in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2.

Stewart Stevenson: It would be inappropriate to comment on an issue which relates to matters before the Court of Session.

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took to ensure that local communities that would be affected by proposed national developments were aware of the proposals before they were confirmed in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2.

Stewart Stevenson: The steps taken to engage with the public and communities on the second National Planning Framework for Scotland (NPF2) are set out in the NPF2 participation statement a copy of which is available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/212607/0083175.pdf .

Planning

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took to ensure that local communities that would be affected by national developments put forward in the National Planning Framework for Scotland 2 (NPF2) were aware that such designation in the NPF2 would establish the need for the development and that any subsequent examination of a planning application could not consider the principle of that development.

Stewart Stevenson: The role of the National Planning Framework (NPF) in establishing the need for national developments was set out in the NPF Participation Statement, newsletters and the Discussion Draft NPF, and also explained at the regional participation events held in 2007 and 2008.

Planning

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports on public local inquiries it is considering.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently considering 10 reports submitted by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals following a public local inquiry.

Procurement

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on the administration of eProcurement Scotland in each year since its establishment in 2002.

John Swinney: The following table provides details of the total cost (including staff costs and payments to the contracted service provider) of the eProcurement Scotland service since it was established in 2002.

  

Financial Year
Cost


2002-03
£3,253,370


2003-04
£1,540,542


2004-05
£583,402


2005-06
£1,868,721


2006-07
£1,634,456


2007-08
£2,609,397


2008-09
£10,207,173


2009-10
£9,081,158



  Since April 2008, the costs of annual subscriptions for software licensing, systems hosting and service management have been met centrally by the Scottish Government rather than by individual user organisations and this explains the increase in costs for that year and 2009-10.

Procurement

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by (a) it and (b) its agencies to save money on the cost of acquiring (i) office equipment, (ii) stationery, (iii) vehicles and (iv) furniture since May 2007.

John Swinney: Under the auspices of the Scottish Procurement Reform Programme, the Scottish Government, its Agencies and public sector organisations across Scotland have worked together to deliver or access a wide range of collaborative procurement contracts which have been specifically developed to provide best value.

  Procurement Scotland, a division of the Scottish Procurement Directorate, has established national frameworks for Office Equipment and Office Supplies, removing the cost of tendering for many public sector organisations across Scotland who would otherwise have been required to run their own EU procurement processes. The multi supplier Office Equipment framework, awarded on 3 June 2009 for up to four years, has resulted in potential savings across the Scottish public sector of circa £6 million over the framework duration. The Stationery framework, awarded on the 1st September 2008 for three years (as part of a suite of office supplies frameworks), has resulted in potential savings across the Scottish public sector of circa £11 million over the framework duration.

  For vehicles, the Scottish Government are currently signed up to a Pan Government Framework Agreement through Buying Solutions. Accessing this framework enables the Scottish Government to secure motor vehicles and light commercial vehicles from all or a chosen number of suppliers.

  The Scottish Government and its agencies have also removed the costs of a full tendering exercise for furniture by accessing UK wide collaborative frameworks established by Buying Solutions. This resulted in savings of £744,000 in 2008-09.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the news release of 26 August 2009 that "marine energy will be key to Scotland’s future energy mix and that’s why we changed our support mechanisms to give greater assistance to wave and tidal energy in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK.", what mechanisms are open to wave and tidal energy developers seeking support for new marine energy developments.

Jim Mather: We amended our renewables legislation in June to provide higher levels of support for wave and tidal power than anywhere else in the UK, with five Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) per megawatt hour for wave projects and three ROCs per megawatt hour for tidal stream projects. This is a deliberate signal of intent, and provides a long-term return for these generators. We know that this support is already attracting developers to look at potential projects and locations in Scottish waters in preference to other parts of the UK.

  In the meantime, we continue to provide support and flexibility to projects awarded grants under the Wave and Tidal Energy Scheme, and welcome the recent call for proposals by the Carbon Trust under its new £22 million Marine Renewables Proving Fund.

Teachers

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns that teachers retiring early, sometimes with many years of enhanced pensions, subsequently seek and obtain supply posts in the same authority at a time when so many post-probationers cannot find work.

Fiona Hyslop: Recruitment and deployment of teachers are matters for local authority employers to determine.

  Two of the recommendations of the Teacher Employment Working Group (chaired by COSLA) report published last year referred to post probationers and supply work. These are:

  Recommendation 4: Local authority employers should wherever possible use post-probation teachers to fill supply vacancies

  Recommendation 5: Local authorities should consider making more use of permanent supply pools to ensure stable employment opportunities are available to post-probation teachers.

  The purpose of these recommendations is to help to develop more opportunities for those newly qualified by reducing the use of retired teachers in supply. The recommendations, unanimously agreed by all parties in the working group including COSLA, on supply are for local authorities as the employers of teachers to take forward while bearing in mind both employment and age legislation.

Telecommunications

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all of the telephone exchanges in Angus which are at full capacity for broadband.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all of the telephone exchanges in Perth and Kinross which are at full capacity for broadband.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to increase the capacity of telephone exchanges in Angus.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to increase the capacity of telephone exchanges in Perth and Kinross.

Jim Mather: BT has confirmed that, as of 3 September 2009, the telephone exchanges in Angus which are at full capacity for broadband are Fern and Menmuir, and that the exchange in Perth and Kinross which is at full capacity for broadband is Strathardle.

  The Scottish Government announced on 23 September 2009 that it has agreed with BT a programme of upgrade work for exchanges to resolve the capacity issues currently being experienced. Please refer to our news release at the following website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/09/23114104.

Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what new investment it will make in the Glasgow transport network.

Stewart Stevenson: We are investing and planning to invest record sums in the Glasgow and West of Scotland area. Current projects include the M74 Completion; M80 Stepps to Hagg; M8 Baillieston to Newhouse (including the Raith Interchange and the Associated Network Improvements (ANI); the Airdrie to Bathgate Railway; rail upgrades between Glasgow Central and Paisley, and the Edinburgh Glasgow (rail) Improvements Programme (EGIP).

  In addition, the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR), announced on 10 December 2009, recommends a number of other projects, which will benefit Glasgow including Strategic Park & Ride / Park & Choose sites (including serving Glasgow) and West of Scotland Strategic Rail Enhancements.

  In aggregate, these investments will amount to between £4.5 billion and £6 billion.